Nutrition & Health OnLine Magazine

Benefit's Of Diet's Rich in Anti-Oxidants

By Sean Sales

Currently we all are exposed to information in the media about taking vitamins that are rich in anti-oxidants. But what exactly does the term "anti-oxidant" really mean? Anti-oxidants are Vitamins and Minerals that help to fight the process of oxidation that occurs in our body everyday. Free radicals can occur in our bodies from the polluted air we breathe, large smoggy cities, cigarette smoke or second hand smoke, drinking water and foods high in saturated fat.

Free radicals are unpaired electrons floating around in our bodies. If anti-oxidants are not present to stop this process, oxidation will occur and spread in our body causing health problems."Free radicals destroy healthy tissue, including the primary genetic materials in our cells." By destroying healthy cells, premature aging and different forms of cancer can occur.

"Anti-oxidants cut down on the number of free-radicals so that fewer cells are destroyed and therefore youth lasts longer." Anti-oxidants diffuse the spread of free radicals in our body. The vitamins that are good sources of anti-oxidants are vitamins C, E and beta-carotene a precursor of vitamin A.

We can get naturally occurring forms of antioxidants in the foods that we eat by simple modifications in our diet. The biggest anti-oxidant is vitamin E. Foods rich in Vitamin E consist of Broccoli, Spinach, Brown Rice, Whole Wheat and Oatmeal. Another antioxidant is vitamin C. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning that your body cannot store this vitamin, and you must therefor replace your intake of vitamin C on a regular basis. Good sources of vitamin C come from Citrus Fruits such as Oranges Grapefruits, Spinach, Tomatoes, Potatoes and Strawberries. Beta-carotene is another anti-oxidant. "Beta carotene comes from the vegetable kingdom; active vitamin A is found only in animal foods. Recent studies have shown that beta-carotene, a potent antioxidant, helps to protect against the damaging effects of air pollution and even reduce the risk of getting lung cancer." Some natural sources of Beta-carotene come from Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots, Kale and fresh Tropical Fruits like Papaya and Cantaloupe.

One important factor to note is that when preparing these foods such as Spinach and Broccoli, it is always best if you can steam these foods. When these foods are cooked with a lot of water, the vitamins and minerals of the vegetables can be leached out into the water. If you cook these foods in water, make sure that you only use enough water necessary to cook the food. Also, it is important to put a lid on the pot when you cook to further prevent minerals from leaching into the air. If you can make these fruits and vegetables a part of your diet, you will be able to increase your fiber intake, and increase the supply of anti-oxidants in your body to fight oxidation. By taking these steps, you will help your body in fighting disease and retarding the aging process.

References: Haas, R. Eat to Win, Random House. 1983. pg 96-114.

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